Nissan revs up for all-new Murano crossover production at Mississippi plant with 500 new jobs

CANTON, Miss. – Production of the all-new 2015 Nissan Murano crossover later this fall means 500 new jobs for Nissan's Vehicle Assembly Plant in Canton, Mississippi.

The all-new 2015 Nissan Murano, which resets the standard in the midsize crossover segment with breakthrough design, premium interior and purposeful technology, will be the first Murano produced in the United States and the eighth model assembled at Nissan's Canton plant. The plant will be the global source for Murano production, creating export opportunities to more than 100 markets. Murano will be assembled on the same line as Xterra, Frontier, Titan and Armada and is the most technically advanced vehicle ever built in Canton.

"Recruiting efforts and preparations for the start of Murano production this fall are underway and current employees are excited to add this vehicle to the list of outstanding cars and trucks built in Mississippi," said John Martin, senior vice president, Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management and Purchasing for Nissan North America. "The addition of Murano to our portfolio, coupled with the continued growth and success of the Canton plant, will move us even closer to our goal to build more than 85 percent of the vehicles we sell in the U.S. right here in North America."

Over the course of the last decade, the Nissan Canton Vehicle Assembly Plant has transformed from a domestic manufacturer to a global one as Nissan has invested more than $2.6 billion in the plant. With the addition of these 500 new jobs, the plant will grow to support more than 6,000 manufacturing jobs for the first time in its nearly 11-year history. Additionally, the construction of a new on-site supplier park is expected to be completed later this fall in conjunction with the start of Murano production.

"Nissan is an engine for economic growth and development in Mississippi and continues to prove to the world that Mississippi Works. With the addition of more than 2,000 jobs and six new products at the Canton plant in just the last three years, the company is helping demonstrate the power of Mississippi's strong workforce and competitive business climate," said Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant. "Nissan serves as a model for other innovative companies we are attracting to Mississippi."

Since the first U.S.-assembled vehicle, a white pickup truck, rolled off the assembly line in June 1983, Nissan's U.S. manufacturing footprint has steadily grown. The combination of vehicle assembly plants in Canton and Smyrna, Tenn., and a powertrain plant in Decherd, Tenn., have produced nearly 13 million vehicles, 8 million engines and created more than 15,000 manufacturing jobs in the United States.

About Nissan North America In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the Americas media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 236,000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than 4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD 116.16 billion) in fiscal 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history.